Method of making resinous materials



umrs stars are ARTHUR H. HOWALD, OF PITTSBURGH,

rnnnsrnvan'rn, Assrcnoa no 12013150 510 PRODUCTS, DIG 0F TOLEDO, OHIO, A GOBFORATION OF @1510 METHOD 03 t.

Io Drawing. Application med June 7,

ject to rapid dete'riorationfrom ageing or.

weathermg. a

The invention further comprises a method of making such a molding powder wherein ammonium thiocyanate an formaldehyde are caused to undergo a preliminary reaction in solution, solventis removed by evaporation to roduce a syrupy liquid (at which stage a or may be added if desired), and the syrupy liquid is dried and the material pulverized to form the moldin powder, which subsequently may be molde under heat and pressure.

Ammonium thiocyanate (1 mol.) is caused to react in aqueous solution with formaldehyde (1 -2 mole). Some free sulphur usua y appears as a precipitate and mag be uct.

, left to function as a filler in'the final pro ing or retarded b reducin the by The solution is heated to boiling to start the reaction. The heat of the reaction then causes s ntaneous boiling and the solution is refluxe until the s ontaneous boilingceases. The reaction may accelerated b increasd ogen ion concentration, w ich in t initial solution will vary with different lots of raw materials. After refluxing, the solution is concentrated by evaporation untilit has been reduced to the condition of a thick syrup. It may then be dried and powdered by various methods. The proportlon of formaldehyde em loyed during. the condensation is greater t an is required in the final product, but the use of an excess of formaldehyde during the early stages of the process results in a etter final productiI have found, however, that the I G QUS MATERIALS 1930. Serial No. 459,822.

existence of uncombined formaldehyde in the finished product has undesirable'efiects, such as reducing the resistance of the molded product to ageing and weathering. I, therefore, fix the uncombined formaldehyde by the addition of a substance which will reactwith it to form a desirable constituent of the resin.

ll may, for example, employ thiourea, in the manner in which it is described as employed in my prior application Ser. No. 363 412, to combine with the excess formaldehyde, or I may employ for this purpose resorcinol, the employment of which for the purpose of fixing excess formaldehyde in formal ehydeurea resins is described in m co-pending epplication No. 484,718, filed eptember 26,

During hardening under heat in the mold, formaldehyde is liberated and it is desirable that the molding powder contain an ingredient capable of fixlng the formaldehyde thus liberated to form additional resin. The liberated formaldehyde may be fixed by combination with part of the thiourea, resorcinol or other substance which may be added before drying the condensate, but I have discovered that superior results ma be obtained by mixing dry resorcinol or ry urea, 'thiourea or an uivalent substance with the dried and pow ered'condensate to fix the residual formaldehyde as it is liberated under heat in the mold. The process for making formaldehyde-urea resins employing this step is described and the process is broadly claimed in my co-pending application No. 481,807, filed September 13, 1930.

For the purpose of improving the quality of the final product I incorporate in it a.

plasticizer, preferably an unsaturated ester of a polybasic acid with a polyhydric aloe-- hol, that is, an ester containing free acid groups. It is feasible to employ for plasticizing purposes such miscible materials as esters of meta-toluene-sulfon-amid, naphthols, etc., but I prefer the first-mentioned plasticizing agent for the reason that it not only acts as a plasticizing agent but it also ma es a hydrogen ion concentration adjustment, whereas when neutral plasticizers are employed the addition of acid is required.

When the addition of acid is required, I prefer to dissolve in the plasticizer an organic acid of a comparatively high molecular weight, such as phthalic acid, tartaric acid or salicylic acid. Such acids are liberated only upon the application of heat.

Processes including the above mentioned means for fixing excess formaldehyde, plasticizing and adjusting hydrogen ionconcen-q 2. The process of making a moldable product comprising condensing ammonium thicby heat.

\ der which com rises condensin cyanat-e with rmaldehyde, adding a plastimg a moldable prodspontaneous bo' has ceased, pulverizing t e residue, and ad in a small amount of a fixing agent for forma dehyde and a lasticizer containing an agent capable of h rating acid upon application of heat.

8. In the manufacture of resinous matea ARTHUR M. HOWALD.

cizing substance, d ing, pulverizmg, and

adding urea to fix ormaldehyde liberated 3. The process of making a molding powder which comprises condensin ammonium thiocyauate with formaldehy e, adding a plasticizer, drying the condensate, pulverizing, and adding a substance capab e of fixing formaldehyde upon its release during a subsequent operation of molding under heat and pressure.-

4. The process of making a molding powammomum thiocyanate wlth formaldehy e, adding a plasticizer, drying the condensate, pulverwing, and adding urea to fix formaldehyde liberated durin a subsequent operation of molding under eat and pressure.

5. The process of making a resinous prodnot which comprises condensin ammonium thiocyanate with formaldehy e, adding .I

plasticizer, drying the condensate, pulverizing, adding a substance ca able of fixin formaldehyde liberated by eat, and mo ding under heat and pressure.

6. The process of making a resinous product which comprises condensi ammonium thiocyanate with formaldehy iii, adding a plasticizer, drying the condensate, pulver1z-- ing, adding urea to fix formaldehyde liberated by heat, and molding under heat and pressure. a

7. In the manufacture of resinous materials, the process which comprises adding ammonium thiocyanate to an aqueous solution of formaldehyde, refluxing the same,

evaporating the solution to dryness after 

